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Metro-North Railroad service may be suspended early Sunday evening as the region prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo informed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Saturday to begin planning for an orderly suspension of all commuter railroad, subway and bus service as Sandy prepares to hit Fairfield and Westchester counties and the rest of the New York City metro area. A final decision will be made Sunday, the MTA said in a statement.

The MTA’s hurricane plan is designed to secure equipment and protect employees before dangerous sustained winds of 39 mph or higher and storm surges of 4 to 8 feet reach the area.

“Suspending the largest transportation system in North America is a monumental effort, and it is imperative that we start the process before we make a final decision, and before the worst of Hurricane Sandy reaches us,” MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota said. “That means all of our 8.5 million daily customers need to prepare for the storm and be ready to complete their travels by 7 p.m. Sunday.”

The final trains would run at 7 p.m. Sunday to prepare for the arrival of high winds and heavy rain. Customers are urged not to wait for the last trains when making their travel plans, the MTA said.